Electric-conductor support.



PATENTED MAR. 28, 1905.

J. M. ANDERSEN. ELECTRIC CONDUCTOR SUPPORT.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 5, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

I PATENTED MAR. 28, 1905. J. M. ANDERSEN. ELECTRIC CONDUCTOR SUPPORT.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 5. 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

r 0 #0 n 8 M 1 wim lll I'lllllnllllIllll UNITED STATES Patented March28, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.-

JOHAN M. ANDERSEN, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO AL- BERT AND J.M. ANDERSON MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF PORT- LAND, MAINE.

ELECTRIC-CONDUCTOR SUPPORT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 785,700, dated March28, 1905.

Application filed January 5, 1905. Serial No. 239,712.

To (1/7] 1071,0171, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JoHAN M. ANDERsEN, a citizen of the United States,residing in Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts,have invented an Improvement in Electric-Conductor Supports, of whichthe following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings,is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing likeparts.

This invention relates to an electric-conductor support, and is hereinshown as embodied in a section-line insulator for use in the overheadelectric-railway systems.

This present invention has for its object to improve and simplify theconstruction of section-line insulators, so that thepiece or bridge ofinsulating material which separates the lineterminals may be secured tosaid terminals by means aswill be described, which permits said bridgeto be secured to and removed from the line-terminals substantially in aninstant and with a minimum of labor and trouble. These and otherfeatures of this invention will be pointed out in the claims at the endof this specification.

Figure lis a side elevation, with parts broken away, of asection-lineinsulator embodying this invention; Fig. 2, a plan view of the insulatorshown in Fig. 1; Figs. 3 and 4:, details, on an enlarged scale, to bereferred to; and Fig. 5, a longitudinal section on the line 5 5, Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, a 6 represent 'metallic line-terminals, towhich sections of the trolley-wire c are secured by the clamps (Z,fastened to said terminals by screws 6. In the present instance theline-terminals are connected by bars or rods f, of insulatingmaterial,and by a bridge-piece g, of insulating mate rial, which issecuredto the line-terminals a b in a manner as will permit saidbridge-piece to be quickly and easily fastened to and removed from theline-terminals substantially in an instant and with the least possibletrouble. For this purpose provision is made for enabling thebridge-piece to be moved bodily up away from the line-terminals and forsecuring said bridge in its lowered position substantially in aninstant. To this end the lineterminals are provided with sockets 6, (seeFig. 5,) which are open at their upper end, so that the ends of thebridgepiece may be dropped or lowered into said sockets, after whichsaid bridge may be firmly secured to the line-terminals against upwardmovement by one or more locking devices, preferably one for each end ofsaid bridge-piece. The locking devices may be made as herein shown, andeach consists of a rotatable cam, which may be made as herein shown andcomprises a shaft 7, having a double crank 8, (see Figs. 3 and 4,) thecranks of which are separated from each other by a space greater thanthe thickness of the end of the bridge The bridge g, of insulatingmaterial, may and preferably will be provided with metal end pieces 12,which are secured to said bridge by pins or screws 13 (indicated bydotted lines in Fig.2) or in any other suitable manner, said metal endpieces constituting auxiliary terminals to save wearing away of theline-terminals by the arcs formed between the trolley-wheel and theterminals when said trolley-wheel passes from the metal to the auxiliarybridge. The line-terminals form bearings for the shaft 7 above andsubstantially in line with said open sockets or pockets 6, and by reasonof the double crank 8 being ofiiset with relation to said shaft saidcrank is capable of being moved out of engagement with the upper surfaceof the end piece 12, so as to leave a free space for theupward movementof said end piece until the latter has been lifted out of its pocket orsocket, after which the bridge can be moved longitudinally to witl d rawit from beneath the center hanger or piece 20, which engages the straininsulating rods or bars f and serves as a means for attaching thesection-line insulator to the usual supportingwire. (Not shown.) Tofacilitate turning the shaft 7 thelatter is provided with a crank leveror handle 22, which may be made of sufficient length andweight to holdthe locking device in its operative position against accidentaldisplacement or movement of the looking device out of its operativeposition. If

desired, the lever 22 may be weighted at its outer end, which may beeffected, as herein shown, by enlarging the free end of said lever. Itwill be understood that the central hanger is open on its under side inline with the insulating-bridge a sufficient distance above the saidbridge, as shown in Fig. 5, to permit the bridge to be lifted bodily, soas to clear the line-terminals, after which the said bridge may be movedlongitudinally to withdraw it from beneath the said hanger. Tofacilitate placing the rotatable clamping device in its operativeposition, the line-terminals are provided with circular bearings, fromwhich extend lateral slots 25, (see Fig. 3,) through which latter theshaft 7 may be passed into the circular bearings and retained therein bypins 26, which close the lateral slots 25, as represented in Fig. 3.

In Figs. 1 and 2 the locking device is shown in its operative or whatmay be termed its closed position, also clearly represented in Fig. 3,and when in this position it will be observed that the double crank 8 islocated above the bridge g and securely locks the same in its pocket inthe line-terminal and prevents the bridge being forced upward out ofsaid pocket when the trolley-wheel (not shown) engages theinsulating-bridge. If it is desired to remove the insulating-bridge, thelever 22 is turned through an arc of substantially one hundred andeighty degrees, and the locking device or crank 8 is moved out ofengagement with the bridge-piece, as represented in Fig. 4, therebyleaving the bridge-piece free to be lifted up out of its pocket orsocket, after which it may be moved longitudinally from under the centerhanger 20, and a new bridge can be placed in its operative position andthen secured to the line-terminals by simply turning the lever 22 backinto the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3. By reference to Fig. 4 it willbe seen that when the locking device 8 is moved out of line with the endof the bridge g the space between the cranks is of sufficient width topermit of the unobstructed upward movement of the bridge.

From the above description it will be seen that the insulating-bridgemay be removed and replaced by a new one substantially in an instant andwith the least possible trouble to the linemen working on the usualtowerwagon stationed in the street, and this isespecially true in severeor cold weather, as the delay and annoyance attending the use of screws,bolts, and like fastening devices is entirely avoided.

I have herein shown one construction of locking device for theinsulating-bridge which I may prefer; but I do not desire to limit myinvention to the particular construction shown. If desired, the shaft 7may be positively restrained from rotating in any suitable manner.

I may prefer to employ a locking device at each end of the bridge; but Ido not desire to limit my invention in this respect, as a single lockingdevice carried by the center hanger and cooperating with the uppersurface of the bridge to prevent its movement up out of its sockets inthe line-terminals may be used to advantage; but the construction hereinshown is preferred.

I claim 1. In an electric-conductor support, in combination,lineterminals, interposed strain-insulators connected to saidline-terminals, a hanger connected with said strain-insulators, aninsulating-bridge interposed between said line-terminals and providedwith metallic end pieces, and rotatable shafts supported by saidline-terminals above the end pieces of said bridge and provided withcranks which are adapted to be brought into engaging and disengagingposition with relation to said end pieces by rotation of said shafts,substantially as described.

2. In an electric-conductor support, in com bination, line-terminals, aninterposed bridgepiece of insulating material, and crank-shafts providedwith cranks separated to permit the passage of said bridge between themwhen said shafts are turned into one position and adapted to be broughtinto line with said bridge when said shafts are rotated in anotherdirection, substantially as described.

3. In an electric-conductor support, in combination, line-terminals, aninterposed bridgepiece movable bodily in a vertical direction withrelation to said terminals and supported thereby, and a devicecooperating with said bridge to secure the same to said line-terminalsagainst upward movement when said device is in one position and topermit of said upward movement when said device is in another position,substantially as described.

4. In an electric-conductor support, in combination, line-terminals, aninterposed insulating-piece cooperating with said line-terminals, androtatable locking devices cooperating with said insulating-piece tosecure the same to said line-terminals against upward movement withrelation to said line-terminals, substantially as described.

5. In an electric-conductor support, in combination, a line-terminal, aninsulating-piece cooperating therewith and bodily movable upwardtherefrom, and a locking device carried by said line-terminal andcooperating with said insulating-piece to secure it to saidlineterminal, substantially as described.

6. In an electric-conductor support, in combination, a line-terminal, aninsulating-piece cooperating therewith and bodily movable upwardtherefrom, and a rotatable locking device carried by said line-terminaland cooperating with said insulating-piece to secure it to saidline-terminal, substantially as described.

7. In an electric-conductor support, in combination, line-terminals, aninterposed insuinsulating-piece and cooperating therewith to hold saidinsulating-piece down against upward movement, substantially asdescribed.

9. In an electric-condLictor support, in combination, a line terminalprovided with a pocket or socket open at its upper end, aninsulating-piece having its end fitted into said pocket, and a lockingdevice to close the open upper end of said socket and secure saidinsulating-piece to said line-terminal, substantially as described.

10. In an electric-conductor support, in

combination, a line-terminal, an insulatingpiece extended therefrom, anda rotatable locking device for said insulatingpiece and comprising ashaft having a double crank adapted to engage the said insulating-piece,substantially as described.

11. In an electricconductor support, in combination, line terminals, aninterposed piece forming a path for the trolley-wheel between saidline-terminals and bodily movable from said terminals in a directionsubstantially at right angles thereto, and locking devices cooperatingwith the upper surface of said interposed piece to secure the same tosaid terminals against bodily movement, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHAN M. ANDERSEN.

WVitnesses:

J As. H. CHURCHILL, J. IVIURPHY.

